15 moments

1. Birth and childhood

   1922-11-08 · Beaufort West, Western Cape, South Africa

   

   Barnard was born and grew up in Beaufort West, the Karoo town that remained important to him throughout his life.

2. Medical studies begin

   1940-01-01 · University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

   After matriculating from Beaufort West High School, Barnard moved to Cape Town to begin medical study at the University of Cape Town Medical School. The University of Cape Town main-campus coordinate is used; the source does not identify a particular teaching building.

3. Medical practice in Ceres

   1948-01-01 · Ceres, Western Cape, South Africa

   Barnard was practising medicine in the rural Cape town of Ceres when he married nurse Aletta Gertruida Louw.

4. Return to Cape Town hospital work

   1951-01-01 · Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa

   

   Barnard returned to Cape Town for senior-resident work at City Hospital and registrar work in Groote Schuur Hospital's Department of Medicine. Coordinate identifies Groote Schuur Hospital; the source also names City Hospital but does not specify its exact site.

5. University of Minnesota scholarship

   1955-12-01 · University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

   Barnard travelled to Minneapolis to begin a two-year surgical scholarship under Owen Harding Wangensteen at the University of Minnesota.

6. Experimental-surgery leadership

   1958-01-01 · Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa

   

   On returning from the United States, Barnard became head of experimental surgery at Groote Schuur and held a joint University of Cape Town post.

7. Transplant training in Virginia

   1964-01-01 · Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, United States

   

   Barnard spent three months at the Medical College of Virginia with renal-transplant surgeon David Hume, extending his transplantation experience in the United States. Coordinate is a representative point for the Medical College of Virginia/VCU Medical Center campus.

8. First human-to-human heart transplant

   1967-12-03 · Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa

   

   Barnard led the Groote Schuur team that completed the first successful human-to-human heart transplant, using Denise Darvall's heart for Louis Washkansky. The cited source identifies the operation as occurring at Cape Town's Groote Schuur Hospital.

9. American College of Cardiology address

   1968-03-02 · San Francisco, California, United States

   

   Barnard delivered an address at the Seventeenth Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology shortly after his first two transplant operations. The source identifies San Francisco but not the specific conference venue.

10. Heart-transplant symposium

    1968-07-01 · Cape Town, South Africa

    

    Barnard arranged and attended a Cape Town symposium bringing together doctors, most of whom had performed at least one heart transplant. City coordinate used because the symposium venue is not specified.

11. First heterotopic double-heart transplant

    1974-11-25 · Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa

    

    Barnard performed the first double-heart, or heterotopic, transplantation operation at Groote Schuur Hospital.

12. Medical ethics address in Nairobi

    1978-05-17 · Nairobi, Kenya

    During a one-week Kenyan visit, Barnard addressed a Nairobi luncheon audience on medicine, suffering, and the idea of a "good death." The report is dated 17 May 1978; it identifies Nairobi but not the luncheon venue.

13. Retirement from surgical leadership

    1983-01-01 · Cape Town, South Africa

    

    Rheumatoid arthritis in Barnard's hands ended his operative career, and he retired as head of cardiothoracic surgery in Cape Town. City coordinate used because the retirement statement does not identify a specific institution.

14. Lecture and press meeting in Coimbatore

    1997-11-01 · Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

    In India, Barnard gave the BPL Mobile "Achievers of the World" lecture and was interviewed in Coimbatore about transplantation, medicine, and his post-retirement work. The publication is dated 1–14 November 1997; the source does not provide the lecture's exact day.

15. Death while on holiday

    2001-09-02 · Paphos, Cyprus

    Barnard died in Paphos while on holiday; an autopsy found that a severe asthma attack caused his death.